The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune News Editor

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

CAPTAIN Leslie Johnson spent $760 to replace control arms on his car after the jeep fell into holes on South Andros’ bad roads. His wife’s car –– just purchased on Friday –– began squeaking and had to be taken to a mechanic. Brandon Miller, meanwhile, is planning to replace his car tyres two weeks after getting new ones.

South Andros residents are frustrated by the deplorable state of their roads, prompting the Ministry of Works and Family Island Affairs to say in a statement on Friday that the government “shares their concerns surrounding the safety and accessibility of proper roads for residents".

“The government has reached out to the respective contractor expressing its concern over the slow pace of the road repairs in South Andros as well as concerns surrounding the quality of those repairs.”

The ministry said letters were sent to the contractor in June and December 2023, and the company’s response is being reviewed “to determine the appropriate course of action".

The ministry did not say who has the contract. However, in August 2021, during the waning days of the Minnis administration, the ministry said an $8m contract was signed with KW Paving to repair roads from Driggs Hill to Mars Bay. The project was expected to start within three weeks of that announcement and to end within 12 months.

Julian Gibson, owner of Eula Nixon Convenience Store and Last Stop Gas Station, said the roads worsened after the contractor started.

He believes the government was “experimenting” when it gave the company the contract.

“It was half-ass work,” he said. “A bunch of children playing in the mud.”

Although he is retired, Mr Gibson said the roads hurt him because some refuse to drive to his businesses to avoid them.

“The roads been bad before the PLP came to power,” he said. “The FNM rushed a contract before the election. The PLP met it on the table, but government has had two years to fix it. They dealing with Abaco and Exuma so there’s no excuse to not deal with Andros.

“Various persons have lost bearings for wheels and suffered vehicle damage. In Nassau you could duck roads. But this is the main thoroughfare where people go to work. School bus be bouncing up and down and fishermen have to use that road. Everybody in Andros have to use that road. It’s a disgrace. Everyone has had vehicle damage.”

As Mr Gibson spoke to The Tribune by cellphone, people entered his store and began complaining about the roads.

Some volunteered to express their distress.

Captain Johnson, 56, said he just changed the control arms on his 2013 GMC Terrain Jeep on Friday, noting he can’t avoid the roads.

Mr Miller said the roads are “beat up bad", requiring him to change his tyres frequently.